Brotherly Affections
by TempestuousInquiry
Summary: Edward and Jasper were one, that is, until Bella came along. She is Edward's life now, but can Edward grant his poor lovesick Jasper one last night before his and Bella's wedding? WARNING: YAOI, INCEST, SPOILERS from Eclipse


**DISCLAIMER**: I do NOT own Twilight (duh) and am using these characters purely for fanfiction. I pay full respects to Stephenie

Meyer. Also, these events do not necessarily take place in the novel itself.

**SPOILER**: If you have not read Eclipse, I suggest you don't read this first, because some major scene spoilers are implied.

--

Jasper took his time down the stairs, not really in a rush. Tonight Alice had planned a party for Bella (something Jasper didn't have to read from her to know she didn't like) and she had asked for his help. When he reached the open kitchen, he was assaulted by her.

"Jasper!" Alice Cullen spoke shrilly, "Why _do_ you take so long to get down here?"

He smiled. "You know me, Alice."

Alice punched his shoulder. "Do I?"

He chuckled. "Of course."

She quickly hugged him. "Whatever will I do with you?"

"What you always do: live with me until it's over. That," he added, "And plan more parties."

The small pixie-like girl giggled. "You bet. Let's set up a party that'll knock Bella's socks off!"

"Hopefully not her head as well," he added quietly, but knew he hadn't got the comment past her when she tossed him a harsh glare in return.

That night the party was set. Or, rather, that afternoon. Jasper realized Alice was too impatient. Bella, led in by Edward himself, was mad, naturally, but warmed up to it to make Alice happy.

"Vampires have _too_ much time on their hands," was the only comment she could mutter.

The party didn't consist of only them, no - their house was too grand and Alice knew too many people for that. Their whole bottom floor was filled with various people, including Esme wandering back and forth from the kitchen with Carlisle on her heels. She smiled every time she turned around to face him.

Emmett was speaking to Rosalie at a punch bowl by the wall, their heads close to hear each other over the music. There were dark lights cast around the room and gyrating bodies everywhere, with songs playing that all seemed to have the same beat. Jasper never was a party kind of guy: he didn't really dance, and liked to keep to himself. Him and Alice were lunar opposites. He could feel a sense of excitement and lust radiating from the dancers filling the house. He decided he needed to wait a bit outside until the air cleared, at least for him.

Walking out the back door, he passed Alice, who let him proceed when he explained his issue. She didn't even need to hear him explain anything to understand about his emotion intake: she definitely didn't want him to be compelled to change her guests' moods.

He stepped onto the porch, and sighed. The night air was so much cooler than it was in the house.

_So much cooler, just like that night._

He snapped back, surprised at the thought that just escaped him. He had a pretty good rein on his emotions for the most part, and this was not one of those times. He didn't know why, but glancing back at the house, he became uneasy. Then he saw what he was looking for: the emotion he'd caught scent of in the crisp night air.

Not too far away were Edward and Bella, dancing outside - but close to - the house, trying to enjoy their dance without being shoved around by the others. Bella was smiling, staring at Edward, and Jasper could feel the pure happiness given off by her as if it were his own emotion. Edward just smiled back at her, the same - if not stronger - sense of fondness pouring from him as well.

Jasper wondered if anyone could feel it: their emotions weren't like others he'd felt, they were so much stronger, almost like a living thing. The intensity was so thick, Jasper could almost see it. The scent of their emotions was drowning him, and he almost thought he'd be sick. There were few emotional settings that he had problems changing, but if he'd tried to change _their_ moods, this would have been one of those _difficult_ times.

He looked away; if he had to smell them, at least he didn't have to see them. A tightness went through his chest. He couldn't bear just standing there, their emotional scent crushing him: he was suffocating.

Just then, the air shifted, and he strained to hear the next few words; he didn't dare turn around yet.

"Hey, you tired?"

"No, I'm fine. Let's dance some more."

"Bella, I may not be able to read your mind, but I'm not stupid."

"Hah-hah, Mr. I-don't-need-sleep-because-I'm-a-vampire. I'm okay, trust me."

"Something I _don't_ do. You look like you're about to fall over. Tonight _has_ been crazy for you."

"Of course, don't trust the human girl with her own body."

"It's not the human girl I don't trust: It's you."

Bella laughed. "Fine then, _Doctor_. I _do_ want to talk to Alice for a bit, though."

"I'll be fine out here. Alice is just inside."

"I'm sure I can find Alice without hurting myself _too_ much, thanks. See you later."

"Be careful," he warned.

Jasper heard them each whisper an "I love you," then heard the muffled kiss they shared before the door opening, and he heard Bella walk into the house in search of Alice.

The mood in the air drastically lightened, and he felt like the rag dipped in their scent had been removed from his nose. Jasper could feel Edward behind him, not far off, and it ached him not to turn around, but he couldn't just yet. He detected a hint of disappointment from Edward, as well as some anxiety and a deep burning of something else that Jasper wasn't sure of, and didn't really want to explore.

Lost in his own thoughts for a quick moment, he didn't hear Edward come up behind him, and jumped when his hand rested on his shoulder.

"Edward," he gasped, a little more out of breath than he'd wanted to be.

"Didn't think I'd surprise you, Jasper," he smiled. "The party too much for you?"

Jasper turned around to face him, but couldn't look straight at Edward. Not just yet. "Yeah, you can imagine. What with all those angsty teenagers in there."

Edward made a face that looked like he was on the border of a laugh and a cough. "That bad, huh?"

"You've no idea," he grinned a little, glancing to see Edward's reaction.

"Actually, I do. I don't think I'm going to let some of these boys drive their dates back home. They shouldn't be having these kind of thoughts: teenagers really have become corrupted these days." Edward gave a playful grin.

Jasper chuckled. "Makes you think about how the_ other _people are that Alice knows."

Edward laughed outright, his hair falling into his eyes; Jasper watched how the dim moonlight hit his hair in those familiar patterns. He smiled, pleased to make him laugh, but quickly changed his smile into a straight line when Edward quit laughing. Jasper didn't want Edward to see him looking at him.

The air was light, happy. This was the kind of mood he liked being around, especially with his older adopted brother. Edward sat down on a pedestal not too far away. Jasper could sense that he wanted him to sit next to him; he took a seat beside him and glanced up at the sky.

Edward was quiet, and Jasper sat listening to his moods: first calm, then thoughtful. He shifted and cleared his throat; Jasper turned to look at him, waiting for what he had to say. He didn't speak for awhile, and Jasper could smell his emotions mix with sudden nervousness.

Jasper pondered this, and took in his surroundings: the quiet air, the dark night sky, the century-old vampire sitting next to him, his features bathed in moonlight, making him look like a God and a predator at the same time. The tightness spread through his chest again, and this time he willed it away. He wanted to know why Edward seemed hesitant.

Edward cleared his throat again and looked into the distance, leaning forward to clasp his hands together. Jasper could tell he was talking to him although he didn't look his way. "Jasper?"

There was a pause. He wasn't sure if Edward was waiting for an acknowledgment - he'd always known silence was Jasper's neutral response - but then he spoke again.

"Jasper. . . Why?"

Jasper had a feeling like he'd stopped breathing, even though he hadn't been breathing in the first place. Still, he had the feeling of a heart slowing inside him, a heart that had slowed long ago. Who knew what he could've been talking about? yet Jasper knew. Edward could read minds, after all. Who's to say he hadn't been reading his this whole time, the whole time with Bella, and looked deeper into its meaning?

He decided to feign innocence for Edward's sake. "Why what, Edward?" he asked with a brusque tone, like he was annoyed that Edward had asked such an unintelligible question, though in reality, he was shaking inside.

Edward looked straight at him, determined and strong-standing. "Don't play with me, Jasper. You know what I'm talking about."

Jasper stayed silent and didn't look at him; he watched his face out of the corner of his eye. He could see that Edward knew he had to take it into his own hands.

"Jesus, Jasper, why do you always have to stay quiet? This isn't grade-school, this is serious."

Silence. Jasper had always been like this, Edward knew. Whenever he didn't agree with something or didn't want to face it, he knew there was no sense in arguing and sealed his mouth shut.

Edward tried to read his mind, but Jasper had closed that off too, meaning he was holding back on his emotions: he'd caught on to Edward's eavesdropping.

"Jasper, you should be over this. Why tonight, of all nights?"

Jasper turned to look at the ground near Edward, still not able to look into those topaz, liquidy eyes everyone loved so much. "Maybe you shouldn't be spying into other people's minds, Edward. Then, maybe you could've seen that I wasn't thinking about it - that my mind drifted off into a part of itself that I thought I'd closed off. And," he added bitterly, "You know we're having this party because soon you're going to marry Isabella."

No one used Bella's full name around their house anymore. Nobody. That was how Edward knew Jasper was being serious.

The night air won out, and neither of them spoke. Jasper tried to sense Edward's emotions, but they were too jumbled for him to make anything out of them without work, which he wasn't sure he'd really want to have to do. Edward was trying to read Jasper's mind, hear his thoughts, but Jasper had closed his mind off as well, leaving Edward face-to-face with a stone wall he was angry and relieved to see: he wasn't sure if he'd wanted to hear Jasper's mind either.

Finally, Jasper spoke. "Edward, you know. . . " _I loved you_. He'd almost said it.

Edward, unable to read his mind, looked to him for a response, looking into those eyes that refused to look back, waiting.

"You know. . . Bella wants to be one of us." He knew it was low, but bringing her into the conversation might change its direction. "Are you going to let it happen?"

"Jasper, you know I don't want that for her," Edward began. His eyes looked to the midnight sky, the sound of music was faint from the house behind them. "But Bella is stubborn." There was a pause. "I'll do what it takes," was the answer he finally settled with. "And you, you need to stop changing the subject."

Edward had caught a glimpse of the trick when Jasper had heard the word _Bella_. He could see the internal flinch that took place inside his younger brother. What was troubling was, that he _knew_ why it took place, and part of it was his fault.

"Why?" he asked again, knowing that if Jasper wasn't going to say it, then he'd have to. "Why are you always brought back to that night?"

Jasper's self-control snapped, hearing the way Edward spoke of it, like it was some horrible damning sin, something more damning than what they were now. "Why do _you_ act like it never happened?!"

Edward flinched a bit himself. Jasper was always in control of his emotions, and when he wasn't - well, that's when things got messy real fast. "Because it never was supposed to," was his eventual reply. He looked to the grass, his hair covering his eyes.

Jasper stood with fists clenched beside him. He tried to balance out his anger, but it wasn't working. He didn't realize how long he'd let these feelings fester - they were so strong they almost took control of him. "'Never was'? You saw, saw how it lead to that day. Don't act like you didn't."

"We're _brothers_, Jasper, for Heaven's sake!" He looked up at his angry brother, with eyes almost tearing.

Jasper's fists unclenched, and his eyes saw less red looking at those eyes. They cut right through him with their sympathetic look, and almost made him feel guilty. . . Almost.

"But," he started as he sat down again. "We might not have been. We're not even bonded by Carlisle's blood, Edward. You know we're not really brothers."

"That's all I ever saw you as," Edward whispered almost reluctantly.

Those words would have been like a cold slap to Jasper's face, if only Edward had kept reign on his emotions long enough for him not to see the blotch of a lie there.

"Don't lie to me Edward."

"I'm - I'm not lying, Jas -"

"That's another lie. I can see your emotions, Edward. You can't fool me. Besides," he looked away toward the grass this time, out of habit. Whether or not he could still blush, he didn't want Edward to see his heated face. "Anyone who cared about whether or not I was his brother wouldn't have done all those things back there."

Edward could feel his own face heat in his mind's eye remembering. He saw pictures of that day flash in Jasper's head, triggering some pictures of his own.

"Stop thinking about it!" he outburst. "It - it was wrong, for both of us." He put a hand over his face to cool it, although it was as cold as it would ever be from now on.

"If it was wrong, why couldn't you stop yourself then?" Jasper pressed on. "If it was so wrong, you wouldn't have even led me on."

"I didn't lead you on, Jasper!" Edward spoke as loudly as he could without the dancers in the house hearing them. "Back. . . Back then, it was different. _Now_ it's different. It shouldn't have happened that way. And besides," he added, perhaps out of spite, "_You're_ the one who should have the reign on your emotions. I don't even hardly remember what happened back there, and I know that much."

Jasper leaned closer to Edward, although they weren't that far apart. He put a hand to the side of his brother's ice-cold face, feeling his emotions spike up. "Let me remind you," he whispered, looking straight into his eyes.

If his heart had been beating, it would've skipped a beat. Jasper firmly pressed his lips against Edward's, causing him to shudder. This was the feeling he got around Jasper. This was the tension that tore them apart. He did nothing more than hold his lips against his, but Edward knew that was all he really needed to do. Some animal part of him reacted, and wanted to take _his_ face in his hands, to do more than just touch lips. But, he bottled up his emotions till they felt like bursting, and sat perfectly still. Well, almost perfectly.

He wanted it. Jasper _wanted_ Edward to lose control. This was what he was relying on. He knew he couldn't just take it over: Edward had to prove he was into it too. Jasper felt the animal senses run through Edward, almost scalding him, then felt the repression of those feelings. He was trying to stop. Edward didn't want to go on. . . At least, his conscience didn't. Jasper could feel his shaking and knew, if he pushed him a little harder, he would break. But if he wasn't careful, Edward would crumble, and be lost to him forever. He had to be careful.

Images of that night filled their heads, and their emotions suffocated the air. Flashes of touches, and the way they had kissed: it was amazing they didn't drown in their own memories. Edward remembered the way Jasper had felt in his arms; Jasper remembered the way Edward held on to his hair. That very kiss - just the small kiss - was making them heady beyond belief.

Jasper had to make sure he didn't lose control. This was all riding on that control of his. Slowly, ever so slowly, he shifted the air, but didn't think about doing it. He'd learned how to do this and was successful many times - without Edward catching on. Edward was too busy trying to control his own mind - even though he knew Jasper couldn't read it.

The air became thick - thick with a passion that amplified their own. Jasper pulled away suddenly (although they could've kissed forever: no breathing was holding them back), and he sensed the sudden longing Edward now felt. He had to play on that longing; he knew it was wrong to use his brother's emotions against him like this, but if Jasper was to spend eternity with Edward by Bella's side, he could at least be granted this one last night.

Jasper stayed close - and waited for Edward's reaction. His emotions were so conflicted. He stared at Jasper with an animal passion and was unable to hide it. Jasper spoke to him through his head:

**I loved you, Edward. I always had and always will. You can see it. You feel that way, too. I can smell your emotions. Please, Edward. Remember that night. Remember how we felt. Remember how you said you'd never leave me? Well, if you're going to leave me, then please. Grant me this one night. You have all of time to spend with Bella; we only have this one night.**

Edward flinched, as if in pain. He knew what Jasper was thinking was true, but . . . He'd told him he'd never leave him, and now what was he doing? Leaving him. Bella was his world, his only, but Jasper had been the one to fill his heart before. Could he really be as cruel as to not grant him this one last chance?

Just when Jasper thought Edward was going to leave - that he'd pushed it too far - Edward pulled Jasper's face to his and firmly pressed his lips onto _his_. Jasper couldn't think at first, but knew he had to watch his emotions. This one kiss hadn't meant he'd won.

Although it was more than just that one kiss. It turned into another, and another. . . Edward cupped Jasper face in his hands now, and kissed him hungrily. Jasper kissed back, eager for more of his brother's attention, the attention that was so few for everyone except Bella these past few years. He wanted Edward so much it burned him, but he let Edward take control, knowing that if he got out of hand, Edward would leave him.

The guests and other vampires in the house stayed blissfully unaware of the two brothers outside. The air outside was freezing - much cooler than in the house - but to Jasper and Edward, it was scalding with passion. The moon rose overhead, casting an eerie, beautiful glow on the figures, and the stars shone like small pinpricks of light. The trees moved with the breeze, and all was silent.

Edward knew this was probably what Jasper had wanted, but his mind wasn't functioning right then. He didn't even have the capacity to read his mind, which was just as well - Jasper was trying to control himself and the emotional aura Edward had. All Edward knew was that he _wanted_ him, wanted him more than he ever had before. He kissed Jasper again, this time parting his lips.

Jasper could sense where this might go, and even he lost his ability to be stoic for a second.

The next kiss Jasper went numb - he let Edward lead. Edward took no hesitation in pushing his lips apart and slowly working his tongue in. Their tongues intertwined in a dance that was completely their own. The cold air surrounded them, yet the heat stayed burrowed in their chests. Jasper couldn't believe the emotions he was feeling right then, and soon decided it was alright to let go.

Jasper took Edward in his arms, deciding he needed to be in control. He broke apart their tongue's dance, only to trail kisses along Edward's neck. Edward didn't move, on the fence about letting Jasper continue. In the end, he had no choice as Jasper continued on.

He raked his teeth along Edward's jaw, causing him to shudder, remembering the first time he'd been bitten, Carlisle's face still burning in his memory. But it wasn't Carlisle he wanted to think about then, it was Jasper. He focused on the feeling of fangs dragging across his skin, the line Jasper must have been cutting into his face.

Vampire skin couldn't be cut by anything, anything except other vampire and werewolf fangs. Jasper knew this as he pressed harder against Edward's neck, breathing his scent like his own air. His hands gripped the bottom of Edward's hair, while Edward's hands grasped the back of Jasper's shirt, pulling it away from his skin.

Jasper started leaving rough lovebites along Edward's collarbone, tinging the white, pale skin with small bruises of purple. Edward shivered, definitely not from the cold. Jasper ran his hands through Edward's hair, and pulled him even closer, so now their chests were crushed together.

The buttons of Jasper's shirt pressed rudely into Edward's skin, and although it didn't hurt him, he found it discomforting. Jasper could feel this change in balance, and loosened up a bit. Edward took this opportunity to shove Jasper onto the stone they were sitting on, looming over his laying figure.

Jasper was caught by surprise, but didn't move. Edward started rapidly ripping the buttons from his brother's shirt, and not even a second had passed before the shirt fell away from his chest, revealing his bare beautiful skin to Edward.

He remembered the day by the lake, how Jasper's skin shimmered in the sunlight. It wouldn't sparkle now, but it still looked as perfect as Edward remembered it. His sculpted torso was sharply defined, and his whole chest was smooth and pale.

Jasper just lay there, chest exposed to his brother, waiting to see how far Edward was willing to take it, especially since they weren't too far away from the rest of the vampires in the family. He could sense his brother's hesitaiton, the slight damper put on his animal passion. It was now or never, Jasper realized, and knew he had to take control of this. This was their last night. He needed this to survive.

Shirt hanging off of his overhead body, Jasper rose his hands slowly - well, slowly for a vampire, anyway - up Edward's chest, feeling every contour of bone and muscle and flesh that he could. "I missed this, Edward," he whispered. "I missed you, your beautiful body, and all your caresses. Everyday, a little of me burned inside for this, and I know it did in you too. Ever since that day, ever since that night. . . "

Edward didn't struggle with his feelings anymore. Something in Jasper's face made Edward advance, first kissing him deeply, pressing hard against his lips. He unlocked their tongues, and began kissing down Jasper's body. The bites he left across his chest made Jasper shudder, wanting more.

Edward had reached his navel, and began leaving small bruises of his own there, leaving Jasper in moans. He started kissing dangerously close to Jasper's waist, and Jasper felt it. Edward could feel Jasper trembling under his touch, and he rose his lips from his skin back to his lips, not letting go.

If it wasn't so cold, and they could have, they would have been perspiring. The passion was so intense, an animal lust left burning in the air like a candle in a tent, and the smoke was clouding up around them, suffocating them with heat. They pressed together - nails digging into the other's backs - and they fit perfectly, like puzzle pieces. Jasper didn't want Edward to let go; he wanted to stay like this forever. But he knew, that in the morning, it would all be gone, and that made him cling tighter to Edward.

Edward could read the thought in his brother's head, and became darkened. He couldn't leave Jasper like that. He had to make Jasper happy, had to show him one last time how much he cared about him.

The music in the house was nothing but background noise they'd tuned out. Jasper pulled off Edward's shirt, and he lay there under his brother's beautiful body, feeling like he was the most blessed person in the world. Edward looked like an angel, and Jasper was the one basking in his beauty, not anyone else. Their motions intensified, and soon Edward was holding Jasper's hips, his fingertips sliding ever so slightly underneath the fabric that covered Jasper's hips and legs.

Jasper shivered; he wanted Edward to go on. Edward could read this thought in his head, and decided to let his brother hang in suspense. He didn't move his fingers, but let them stay there, only his fingertips and nails under the waist of Jasper's pants. Instead, he started violently kissing him, shoving his tongue into his mouth, and biting Jasper's tongue.

If Jasper could've bled, he would have. He cringed in slight pain - he didn't think Edward would be the one to start inflicting pain, but Edward wasn't exactly himself just then. Animal instincts came over him, and his passion and lust turned violent. Jasper was a masochist - he enjoyed the pain he was receiving from Edward. He moaned loudly - unheard by the loud partiers - as Edward started scraping his chest with his sharp fangs, grazing Jasper's left nipple.

Edward was enjoying every bit of this. He enjoyed every cringe, every flinch, every moan he got out of Jasper. He knew Jasper wanted him to go on, but he would bide his time, only moving farther when Jasper least expected it.

Time went on, and even Edward couldn't bear it any longer. He moved until his hands cupped Jasper's hips entirely, shoving underneath the fabric. Jasper gasped, unprepared as Edward had wanted. Jasper moved his hands to Edward's lower back, feeling the touch of cool skin to cool skin shock through him. "See, we have our own electricity, Edward. An electricity that shocks blue and pure."

Edward paused for a moment, taking in Jasper's words. As much as he wanted to believe him, he knew it was not the same electric feeling he had with Bella, that sense of full completion . . . but he would not ruin that thought for Jasper. Any doubt he had, he masked, not wanting him to sense it - if he had been searching.

Jasper felt the pause in Edward's emotional output, but it didn't have time to register in his brain before Edward picked up his motions again, this time more focused and controlled than his previous movements powered by lust had been. Although Jasper didn't know it, he was thinking of Bella, and that caused him to think clearer and more rationally.

His kisses became more precise and accurate; any sloppiness that had occured before was not occuring now. Jasper did not know what to think of this change - it still felt like Edward was impassioned.

Jasper decided he should try to take lead now - after all, Edward had had enough time, and he saw no reason to pull away now. He reached up, and in one fluid movement, rolled Edward below him on that small precipice of stone. Edward was not so much surprised as he was caught off guard, and Jasper gave him a twisted smile. "It's my turn, Edward," he whispered, causing Edward's eyes to widen a bit.

Leaning down, his nails dug into Edward's diamond flesh, leaving small cresents of pink lining his shoulders. He kissed just as - if not more - roughly than Edward had before, trying to show his level of affection. Edward got the message, and slowly kissed back. But this would not satisfy Jasper. He kissed back hungrily, his tongue lining Edward's mouth in complex movements.

Breathing increased as Jasper kissed along Edward's neck in a fervor, biting the skin on his collarbone and receiving a gasp in return. Jasper smiled. "Taking your breath away, Edward?"

This wasn't going well. As much as he wanted Jasper to feel complete again, he couldn't do anything that he would regret later with Bella. He tried to muffle this feeling again, so as not to alert and worry Jasper, but his brother caught on when the older had paused.

"You're thinking of her!" he gasped, not quite loud enough to alert the others in the house, but coming close. He sat up, still straddling Edward, but holding his face in his hands. "Why? You can't give me _one_ night? Why is _she_ always the center of your attention? I now understand Rosalie's feelings," he spat, angry with his brother and himself, for believing that he could relive that beautiful day.

Edward sat up a little, ashamed at letting his brother catch on, but being unable to lie now. "Jasper," he whispered low, grabbing ahold of Jasper's biceps. "Bella. . . she is the one, don't you see? And I can't afford to do anything with you that I will regret later, don't you understand?"

"You love her more." It was a hushed statement, laced with bitter hate and anguish. Edward had never seen his brother pout like he had eariler, nor had he ever seen him as broken as he was in that moment. His hands held his white face, and the vampire felt a sharp stab of pain for Jasper. But it could't, wouldn't ever be the same, and Jasper just had to understand that.

"No," he rebuked, trying to reason with him like a spoiled kid. "I love her differently. Bella is like my air, Jasper. And you're being a child for thinking I would compare the two of you so unfairly. I love you just as well." He raised his hands to remove Jasper's away from his face and cup his cheeks. "Don't you see, Brother, it can never be the same between the two of us. I have found Bella, and you have found Alice. You should feel complete as I do with her. We, us. . . we were only temporarily together to relieve the pain of being alone. Realize - that night can happen again. It's as if it didn't exist.

"I still love you, forever I will, as I will not be able to ever forget that night. But you _are_ my brother, dear Jasper, and that's how we will remain: close and bonded brothers." He gave him a small kis on the forehead, parting his hair where it had fallen. Jasper could feel all - any - passion slip away, Edward's kiss replaced with tenderness. While Jasper had been able to unlock those repressed feelings, he had not been able to keep them submerged, and Edward had locked them away again. As usual, Bella had won.

There was no point in continuing; he knew Edward would keep at it all night, so he blanked his mind, and shielded the thoughts that he couldn't erase. This made Edward frown at the inability to read his brother's mind, but he didn't say a word about it. "You're right, Edward. I understand, and you're right - that night can't, _won't_ be forgotten. But I have Alice now, and you have. . . " He couldn't bring himself to say that girl's name again. " . . . her now. We were just a way to survive, and now we are completed."

Whether or not Edward bought his speech, Jasper didn't stay long enough to listen. Buttoning up his shirt, he walked hastily back into the throng of dancers, searching for Alice. It didn't take long for him to find her, luckily alone.

"Feeling better?" she inquired, a giant smile on her face. Hopefully she hadn't seen what was going to happen - what had already happened outside, but he doubted she was thinking about either of them during their moments outside, and her face (and emotions) showed she was blissfully ignorant of the whole situation.

" . . . Somewhat," he said, trying not to lie, but not telling the whole truth at the same time. She slid her hand into his and must've noticed something because she asked:

"Are you okay, Jasper?"

"Huh?" he replied, not sure what she meant; he was still mulling over Edward - he was now with Bella and Emmett at the table. Rosalie was nowhere to be seen; Jasper didn't blame her.

"I said, are you okay? Your hand is shaking."

Damn it. He tensed his imaginary nerves and looked at her with a smile, knowing it would win over the interragation. "Fine, just a little sick from this whole thing."

"Aww!" she whined, leaning into his arm. "I'm sorry; I know how much you hate these things."

"Don't worry about it; I'll manage - you know I always do."

"Look at how happy Edward and Bella look though," she had to point out, motioning over to that table with her eyes. The two were laughing at some joke Emmett had said, and Bella was covertly holding Edward's hand, grinning mainly for him, Jasper could tell. And although Edward looked happy, Jasper could also feel the heavy black feeling over his head: regret. Bella would sense it later - or maybe now, and was too nervous to say anything in front of the others - and would ask him about it, but Edward would only give some sort of cryptic, non-response.

Well, fuck him. Turning all his sadness into rage was much easier, Jasper found. . . although he knew the sorrow would bubble up assiduously later, when he was alone. "Jasper?"

Jasper looked down into Alice's worried eyes. "Yes, Alice?"

She gave a sympathetic look. "Are you really okay? Did something happen?"

She could sense the intensity of his bitter hate - she always had a knack for that. He gave a whole-hearted, absolutely fake smile. "Perfectly. I just missed you, was all."

He knew that answer would make her smile - it did. But then she looked up ahead, like she was seeing something only see could see, and she stifled a gasp. "What is it, Alice? Did you see something?" He was completely focused on her now ; her visions hadn't been particularly good recently.

She cleared her throat a bit before responding. "Jasper," she asked weakly. "Did. . . did you and Edward get in a fight?"

He froze introspectively, keeping his outside visage unreadable; his emotional shield was coming back. "No. . . not any major ones I can think of. Recently. Why, Alice?"

She gave him a lame smile and laughed nervously. "N-no reason. It's probably nothing, then. Just. . . just be careful with your words around each other, okay? Don't get into any major arguements."

He wanted to laugh out loud. Too late for that. But he assumed it was something foolish, maybe even what had happened eariler and thoughts Edward was having of it. Jasper certainly had no plans for revenge or anything foolish like that; it was over, and he was slowly accepting it. Done. The End.

"Whatever you say, Alice: I promise," he chuckled, bringing her back into a state of balance, and they went on to somewhat enjoy the rest of the party, Jasper clearing any thoughts of his brother from his mind.

What did this mean? That vision. . . they had to have fought, right? Yet when she asked Jasper, he'd said nothing of the sort. And so sincerly. She could usually tell when he was lying. But then again, he was good at hiding his emotions, and that intense feeling she'd sensed eariler radiating from him. . . that blackness, bitter emotion. . .

She looked at Edward, but he had closed his mind off to everyone. Something must've happen. But Jasper acted like. . . if it had, it had been nothing. It must've been. Truly.

Because surely, that vision she'd had of Jasper falling apart had been a lie, a quick thought that had long past been gone, and Edward. . .

Edward hadn't been the cause of it all, the cause for her brother's accident. Jasper. . .

He would stay sane. It was a lie.

Right?

--

**Hey! I finished it! (round of breathy cheering) Yay!  
Yeah, well, it didn't end in the way I thought it would surprisingly; when I first started this, I thought it'd be a full-on sex scene between the two brothers (incest!), but Edward ended up breakeing Jasper's heart (boo T_T). I don't know, I just haven't been like Edward recently, and I have to say, Jasper was always my fave (even when all us fangirls were all head-over-heels for him, Jasper was a tinsey bit ahead).  
I decided to add the twist of Jasper falling apart in the end because, well mainly, there had to be some kind of major consequence for Edward leaving him (being an asshole), and I had to incorporate Alice a bit more into the story. It does leave room open for a sequel (or second chapter? I like the idea of a sequel better, considering this was intended to be a one-shot story), but what do you think? I have been busy with two other fanfictions, not to mention my own stories, but if you guys think this needs another companion, I'll gladly write one (just give me some ideas next time, kay? I usually write fanfics for people, anyway.)  
Thank you guys for your revisions, especially about the one about Edward and Jasper's biting origins. When I was orignally writing this, I had totally forgotten that they had been bitten by two totally different people, and I wouldn't have revised that later if someone hadn't have told me, so thanks!  
Also, if you have requests, send them to me! This story was pulled out of my own imagination, but I'm goiing to write two more Twilight fanfics that were requested about Edward&Jasper and Edward&James (alert: that story is totally gonna be rape, so shield those virgin eyes!). I'll be working on the Edward&James one first to get it over with, but any requests will be taken into consideration. If I can't make it happen - although I doubt that will be a problem - I'll let you know ahead of time, before you start expecting anything.**

Well, this is Tempest saying thanks for reading, and please visit my profile to read my other fanfics you might be interested in (anime fans). My other Twilight ones will be up there shortly. TIll next time!


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